Earlier this week, I spoke on the phone with Johnny Weir for an interview—mainly discussing the fur flying between him and animal rights activist groups like Friends of Animals and PETA. The smackdown occurred over his use of white fox fur for a “fallen angel” costume in the long program of the U.S. Nationals—a beautiful routine that I hope he skates well.

Johnny and I are on opposite sides of the fence when it comes to the fur issue (though I admit that my boyfriend owns a pair of vintage leather gloves with rabbit lining; I can understand why people lust over the real thing). But I hope the fur fracas doesn’t lead to what he told me he had feared—some wingnut throwing blood on the ice in Vancouver, or perhaps taking him down, Kerrigan-style. Figure skating is all about opera, and Weir has been the sport’s uncontested grande dame for good reason. On the ice, he scintillates. Let him do his thing.

Weir also said he may opt to change his costume altogether. I doubt it will be the Rodarte he was photographed in by Ryan McGinley for The New York Times (a fall on a triple axel would likely render him a ball of tangled yarn). But bravo to McGinley and the Mulleavy sisters for one beautiful pre-Olympics fashion story.

Related Posts from The Spiel:

1. Judges do not appreciate Weir’s pink tassel
2. Surely you jest: Johnny Depp named most stylish man in the world
3. New York Fashion Week Fall 2010: Rodarte goes native